5 Tools to Automate Business Processes for Your Contracting Business
Luckily, the internet hosts a number of great automation tools, many of which are free or cost relatively little to use. There are sites and applications that allow you to automate email campaigns, account management, and many other menial tasks that may otherwise be bogging you down.
Here are some of the business automation tools that we recommend for contractors.
Hootsuite
This site is a savior for those looking to amp up their social media marketing. For no cost, Hootsuite users can link up all of their social networking profiles to one location, making it easy to post material to all mediums at once. Post updates to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other sites in a fraction of the time, or schedule your posts for future dates. Hootsuite also provides solutions for analyzing the success of your social media campaigns. See what works -- and what doesn't -- by checking out your personalized, real-time reports. Learn more here.
CorkCRM
Customer relationship management software is quite possibly the best tool available for quickly managing and automating business processes. And for contractors, it doesn't get much better than CorkCRM. Cork is designed specifically with painters and other home improvement contractors in mind, allowing users to schedule jobs, create and send custom proposals, and sign contracts electronically. The software also lets you automate drip email campaigns and feedback collection, and you'll receive notifications whenever a customer submits a review. Take a look at our features for more.
MailChimp
As far as email marketing goes, this is one of the most user-friendly sites for building campaigns and marketing templates. MailChimp lets you construct and schedule colorful newsletters, manage drip email campaigns, and automate emails based on customer behavior, ensuring your content is relevant to client interests. It also offers recommendations for when to send your emails, based on send time optimization, and it provides reports to help you track your campaign performance. And with its bright, sleek design and numerous creative options, MailChimp is fun to use, too. Learn more here.
ZenPayroll
Managing your payroll can be tedious, especially when you've got other things on your plate. With ZenPayroll, you can automate payments, taxes, reports, and other time-consuming financial tasks, making your job easier and your business more efficient. Put your payroll on autopilot, and allow ZenPayroll to calculate, pay, and file your taxes electronically on your behalf. For about $25 per month, you've got your very own virtual financial assistant. Learn more here.
Pay-per-minute call centers
As a busy contractor, you're not always around to take client calls. But if a customer can't get ahold of you, or you're not immediately available to schedule an estimate when a lead comes in, you could be missing out on a job. Call centers are open 24 hours a day and are staffed with people who are dedicated to satisfying the needs of your customers in a timely manner. Clients can call and schedule estimate, manage their appointments, and learn more information about your business. You can even enable call forwarding, guaranteeing that essential calls are transferred directly to you. Call center services can be pricey, but given how much business they can bring in, you're sure to see an overall profit.
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